Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood and Hybrid Review
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
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Pros
– Hy-Wood could make more holes reachable for amateurs
– Cleveland's most forgiving hybrids ever
– Great value for tech-packed clubs
– Full left-handed options
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Cons
– No women's models
– Counterbalancing in the grip won't suit everyone and removal only available through custom-fitting
- RRP £189.00
What we say...
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood is designed to set up like a hybrid and perform like a fairway wood, while XL Halo Hybrids are brand’s most forgiving ever.
The XL family sees the introduction of an all-new club – the Halo Hy-Wood. It has been designed to set-up like a hybrid and deliver the speed and distance of a fairway wood style.
RELATED: Best Hybrids
Cleveland believe the club will inspire confidence and become the go-to club for players seeking distance and control on their second shots into long par 4s and par 5s.
The new hybrids are Cleveland’s most forgiving ever with an MOI of 2,961 g-cm², while the three rails along the sole to help keep the face straight through impact from any lie.
The Rebound Frame found in the driver, fairways and hy-wood continues into the hybrids, with flex zones in the face and body working in sequence to help increase ball speed and distance.
The ‘HiBore Crown Step’ reduces the height of the crown, which helps lower the centre of gravity and increase launch.
An eight-gram weight in the end of the grip produces a counter-balance effect for more control but, as with the drivers and fairway, the hy-wood and hybrid will be offered in a half-inch shorter version without the counter-balancing as a custom-fitting option.
RELATED: Cleveland Launcher XL Drivers
WATCH: Best 2022 Hybrid video
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood and Hybrids: Key Technologies
XL Head Design
The Launcher XL Hybrids features an MOI of 2,961 g-cm² – the most ever in a Cleveland Golf hybrid.
Gliderail
Three rails along the sole of the club help keep the face straight through impact for optimal ball striking regardless of the lie.
Rebound Frame
A flex zone in the face and a second flex zone in the body of the club work in sequence to direct more impact energy into the golf ball, increasing ball speed and distance on every shot.
Action Mass CB
An 8g weight placed inside the end of the grip delivers better balance for more control without added effort.
HiBore Crown Step
The stepped crown shape brings the height of the crown down, dropping the center of gravity and raising the launch in the process.
What Cleveland Golf say about the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood
“Designed to set up like a hybrid for confidence inspiring precision but built closer to a fairway wood for better swing speed and distance, the Launcher XL HALO Hy-Wood is the perfect go to club for maximum second shot distance and control,” said Joe Miller.
Verdict: Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hybrid
Wind the clock back to TaylorMade introducing their first rescue club (back in 2002) and the original idea back then was hybrids would replace difficult to hit long irons. Over the last 20 years rescues have morphed into much more distance orientated clubs, and some-how we’ve lost sight of how hybrids should be easier and more fun to use than long irons.
Cleveland’s new Launcher XL redresses that balance completely. There isn’t a double-digit handicap club golfer in the land that couldn’t hit the Launcher XL Halo better than their 3, 4 or 5 iron.
Yes, the heads pretty big in size, but like the Launcher XL’s matching iron it’s not cumbersome or awkward, it actually sits really well at address, and the wide body adds spin, which at average club speed aids launch and keeps shots in the air for longer. Which makes this model a really good choice for a majority of club golfers in the long game.
From an 18deg loft (where our test loft is 20deg) the Launcher delivered our fastest hybrid ball speed, as you’d expect. But thanks to the clubs wider body design, which gives higher spin, more height and a steeper descent angle (so shots will stop quickly on landing) we reckon it’s a brilliant design for flighting shots on long approaches for tons of average club golfers.
They’re usually just the type of players who’ll appreciate the added confidence of the larger head (trust us you won’t ever feel this confident standing over a long iron) and the Launcher’s very competitive price tag.
How does the Cleveland Launcher XL Halo hybrid compare to other hybrids in data?
READ NEXT: Cleveland’s new XL and XL Halo irons
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rob Jerram is the Digital Editor of todaysgolfer.co.uk
He has been a journalist for more than 20 years, starting his career with Johnston Press where he covered local and regional news and sport in a variety of editorial roles across ten years.
Rob joined Bauer Media in 2010 and worked as the Senior Production Editor of Today’s Golfer and Golf World magazines for ten years before moving into the Digital Editor’s role in July 2020.
He has been playing golf for almost three decades and has been a member at Greetham Valley Golf Club in Rutland for eight years, playing off 12.
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood
RRP £219
Launched February 18
Loft 18º
Adjustable? No
Women's? No
Left hand? Yes
Stock shaft Project X Cypher 40 (48g A, 48g R, 50g S)
Stock Grip Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 52g, 58 round
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hybrid
RRP £189
Launched February 18, 2022
Lofts 18º, 21º, 24º, 27º
Adjustable? No
Women's? No
Left hand? Yes
Stock shaft Project X Cypher 40 (48g A, 48g R, 50g S)
Stock Grip Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 52g, 58 round
